kumpisal
kumpísal with stress marks
confess
Usage Note
Kumpisal is from Spanish confesar and is primarily used in a Catholic religious context for the sacrament of confession, but also colloquially to mean admitting or owning up to something. It is a culturally significant term in predominantly Catholic Philippines, especially during Lent.
Examples
" Nais niyang kumpisal bukas. "
Natural Translation
He/She wants to confess tomorrow.
Literal Translation
Wants he/she-to confess tomorrow.
" Kailangan niyang kumpisal bago ang Pasko. "
Natural Translation
He/She needs to confess before Christmas.
Literal Translation
Need his/her to-confess before the Christmas.
" Bago siya humarap sa pari upang kumpisal, matagal niyang pinagnilayan ang mga pagkakamaling nais niyang ipagtapat. "
Natural Translation
Before he faced the priest to confess, he reflected for a long time on the mistakes he wanted to admit.
Literal Translation
Before he face to-the priest to confess, long he reflected the mistakes that-want he-to admit.
Take Tagalog with you
The full course, a 12,500-word dictionary, and flashcards that make every word stick — free to start on iOS and Android.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workActor Focus Verbs
Object Focus Verbs
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
Tagalog Word Order: Sentence Structure Made Simple
Why Tagalog puts the verb first, and how ang, ng, and sa markers work. A clear guide to VSO word order, forming questions, and negation.
Tagalog Numbers 1-100: Counting, Time & Money Explained
Learn Tagalog numbers 1-100 and beyond. Master both native and Spanish-derived counting systems, plus telling time, reading prices, and ordinals.
Philippine Christmas Traditions: World's Longest Holiday
Philippine Christmas traditions run four months — from Ber-month carols to Simbang Gabi dawn masses, Noche Buena feasts, and parol lanterns lighting every street.
Tagalog Verb Conjugation: Aspects Made Simple
Tagalog verb conjugation uses aspects, not tenses. Learn the three aspects with -um- and mag- verbs, one reduplication rule, and clear example tables.